The longtime American Kickboxing Academy member recently told
MMAjunkie.com that he could move up to light heavyweight within
a year due to the difficult cuts he endures making 185 pounds.

“I’m not here at middleweight too much longer. It’s too hard to
make weight,” Rockhold said.

“It’s not fun. Plus the division at light heavyweight without
Jon
Jones is not the same. The middleweight division is much
tougher. So move up, cut less weight and have easier fights? Come
on.”

Some of Rockhold’s reasoning struck a nerve with Alexander
Gustafsson, one of the 205-pound division’s top contenders.
Since he won’t be able to get his desired rematch with reigning
champion Daniel
Cormier any time soon, the Swede would be more than willing to
welcome Rockhold to a new weight class.

“[Luke Rockhold], your teammate is holding MY Division hostage, and
you think there are only easy fights at LHW,” Gustafsson wrote on
Instagram. “If [you] think Romero hits hard, then wait till you
come to the big boys. I want [Daniel Cormier], and knocking [you]
out will keep me warm in the meantime. Beware of coming up in
weight because I will be standing at the front door waiting.”

The 31-year-old known as “The Mauler” has twice challenged for
light heavyweight gold, falling to Jones in a memorable five-round
battle at UFC 165 in September 2013 before losing to Cormier via
split decision at UFC 192. Gustafsson has since rebounded to post
back-to-back triumphs over Jan
Blachowicz and Glover
Teixeira.